CHICAGO — Former Rep. Bobby Rush, a longtime African American leader in Illinois, plans to throw his support behind Paul Vallas in the mayor’s race, providing Vallas a potential boost among Black voters heading into next month’s election.
The endorsement announcement, first shared with NBC News by Vallas’ campaign, is expected Tuesday morning.
Rush plans to offer his backing at an event on the city’s South Side that will include an anti-violence march, according to a spokeswoman for the Vallas campaign.
Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas speaks during a press conference at his campaign headquarters on Feb. 3, 2023 in Chicago.
Al Sharpton, who’s a host on MSNBC, is set to hold a large get-out-the-vote rally at a church whose pastor has backed Johnson.